The Phase Ib/IIa study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of a single ascending dose of COVA322, a bispecific TNF/IL-17A inhibitor.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled will enroll 39 psoriasis patients in Germany. Enrollment in the multi-center and dosing of COVA322 has begun for the first cohort of patients.
Readouts on psoriatic skin lesions as well as biological responses measured in skin biopsies will be the secondary endpoints in this study.
Covagen chief development officer Dr Mathias Locher noted that with COVA322, the company has moved its first proprietary FynomAb into the clinic.
"COVA322 has a novel mechanism of action by simultaneously inhibiting both TNF and IL-17A. This dual inhibition has the potential to result in superior efficacy compared to current treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and other inflammatory diseases," Dr Locher added.
Covagen CEO Dr Julian Bertschinger noted that the company expects to have top-line data in the first quarter of 2015.